QuoteReplyTopic: Another breezy one - another spanking. Posted: 02 Feb 14 at 4:42pm

It wasn't that windy and as a matter of fact as thing eventually turned out, quite pleasant to race in, but it started of moderate then turned quite gusty as a squall came through so I managed again to turn a lead into last place in an irons fest and sailing so bloody slow up wind. Off wind I'm a rocket ship, but I can't seem to make it go to weather over powered, all my normal tricks of stuffing it, fall apart in the transitions and it got so bad, I'm being mullered by a topper.

Worse still, it's a young lady in a topper, and she is all over me like a bad rash. I swear she even winked as she went by and she might as well have said 'try and catch me big boy!' as she casually leaned into it and her perfectly set sail creamed up wind whilst mine is backing like a biatch, with leech shot away and we're going nowhere fast.

But rather than quit, which was on my mind after the third spell in irons, I followed her, and like the time when i followed fraggle I got inspired to better effort and eventually pulled back, over took her and a couple of solos that had also gotten ahead and finished, without a capsize which a few others managed to pile in, yet still beat me, i'm sailing that slow upwind, I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, for sure weight or lack of it is probably an issue, the boat just stalls in the turns and won't get going again, almost like the flow won't re-attach to the sail.

It's got a very aft control so in survival mode you're too far back down the boat and I'm sure that's something to do with it, not getting far enough forward once I've tacked, but it ended up quite enjoyable, it's the windiest race I've finished and not stacked and the sun came out towards the end, so how was your day?

The thing is, even fully sheeted out, I can't hold it, it's right up on its ear, the only way I can manage is to be pointing really high, I know as a boat everyone tells you to sail it free, but to kick it off the boom has to be way out, then the risk is touch down as it goes up on its ear.

So then tacking really high to really high I'm just begging to go into irons, and sure enough.. I'm sure there probably is a technique and you're right jim, speed is your friend (got loads of it off wind and am really dialled, not a hint of disaster), but it's upwind, just as a matter of info what should you do with the kicker in totally overpowered? Logic says, don't have any, last thing I thought I needed was kicker, but without it windward performance sucks.

Try lots & lots of kicker, outhaul & downhaul, flatten the sail as much as you can. Use 2/3 centre board, sail free, ease the kicker a touch for tacks, and be fully committed to the tack when you go for it. Experiment with settings and practice!

I got stuffed upwind by the EPS again today! Looked pretty damn good to me. With lots of fetches (the first race, believe it or not only had 5 manouvers per lap. 1 gybe, one tack, 2 bear aways and a luff up. No beat, just 3 fetches, a run and a broad reach. Nearly gave up through boredom, but had a boat close behind to get away from. Phantom, then EPS - fast boat course.

Mind, last week when it was windier, the EPS was blown off the water while the Phantom was loving it, so I know where you are coming from with the upwind problems.

b**locks, I got it round and a few younger and more experienced didn't, I just didn't win and instead came last on handicap.

I had maxed the downhaul, but free'd it off the sail just wasn't driving, but I didn't max the kicker, why do that? It tightens the leech when i want the leech free to twist off and dump power don't I?

I must admit I don't mess with the board, it's a bitch to pull up anyway and I've got this hose pipe thing fashioned to act as a traveller to keep all the gubbins ahead of the mainsheet pulley and cleat and it's over the top of the daggerboard.

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